Sigma Alpha Iota

18 Winter 2026 • sai-national.org By Mimi Stillman In January 2025, I helped organize an event on "Hearing Health for Musicians" at Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University, where I am Artist-in-Residence on the flute and chamber music faculty. Otolaryngologist Udayan Shah, MD, and audiologist Alexandra Costlow, AuD, both from Jefferson Health, gave a presentation for instrumental and vocal students to raise awareness and offer practical guidance on this critical topic. In July 2025, Drs. Shah and Costlow also presented at Artistas y Músicos Latinoamericanos (AMLA), a program my Dolce Suono Ensemble has partnered with for several years as part of our Música en tus Manos (Music in Your Hands) project. They will be presenting at other conservatories and music schools during the 2025–2026 academic year. This project came about through my own experience as a user of musician ear filters for much of my life as a flutist. I always practice and often perform with filters, especially when playing repertoire with extended high register passages, on piccolo, and in some ensembles. I always recommend filters to my students. In having my new filters made last year, Dr. Shah, my otolaryngologist, asked whether I thought the Temple music students would benefit from a talk about hearing protection. I wasted no time in contacting my colleagues at Boyer College. As musicians, we produce and are around live and recorded music for much of our lives, but education about how to protect our hearing is rarely—if ever—offered as part of music education at any level. Many of us had teachers or large ensemble directors who recommended using earplugs in certain situations or for specific repertoire. However, most music students receive no training on how to assess sound levels, nor are they informed about what kind of protection is recommended for safety, comfort, and not getting in the way of the music-making. Drs. Shah and Costlow provided a wealth of important information and visuals during their PowerPoint presentations, engaging the students in a lively discussion and Q&A. An otologist and former pediatric otolaryngology surgeon, Dr. Shah presented an introduction to how hearing functions, including basic anatomy and embryology of the ear. He explained the roles the external, middle, and inner ear, and also brain play in auditory perception. He did two tests using a tuning fork on a student volunteer—the Weber test and the Rinne test—which assess for the two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. Musicians are at risk for sensorineural hearing loss, in which the delicate hair cells within the cochlea are damaged by excessive sound levels. So far, hearing loss cannot be reversed through medical treatments, so it is crucial to protect one's hearing. Furthermore, Dr. Shah emphasized that maintaining brain health is key in hearing as inputs from the ear are processed in the auditory cortex. In addition to working with patients, Dr. Costlow heads Jefferson's community and educational outreach division. In her work with musicians, she discusses safe listening levels, sources of noise exposure, and hearing protection devices. When she asked audience members if they have ever experienced temporary symptoms after attending or playing a loud concert, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss or muffled hearing, nearly everybody raised their hands. Some students spoke about experiencing tinnitus or other symptoms in relation to playing. Hearing loss after exposure to dangerously loud noise can be temporary or permanent, Costlow explained, and the risk of permanent hearing loss increases with repeated exposure, underscoring the importance of conservation. Here are some important facts we should all know, both for our own playing and to pass on to our students: Noise exposure is comprised of two components: Intensity (loudness), which is measured in decibels (dB), and duration. Together, these are considered to be a "dose" of noise exposure. The noise thermometer shows the decibel levels of common sounds. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have resources and guidelines for noise exposure. For example, Music Education Hearing Health for Musicians Noise thermometer Noise thermometer by Dangerous Decibels by Dangerous Decibels (recreated from original, (recreated from original, printed with permission) printed with permission) 165 155 145 135 125 115 105 95 85 75 75 65 55 45 35 25 15 5 0 softest sound softest sound you can hear you can hear whisper whisper rainfall rainfall typical speech typical speech washing washing machine machine busy city traffic busy city traffic gas mower gas mower hair dryer hair dryer walkman walkman tractor tractor leaf blower leaf blower rock concert rock concert chainsaw chainsaw ambulance ambulance jackhammer jackhammer jet plane jet plane (from 100 ft.) (from 100 ft.) fireworks fireworks gun shot gun shot 12-gauge 12-gauge shotgun shotgun rocket rocket launch launch

• Cover